What is life like as a graduate student at Nebraska? Here's what our graduate students have to say about why they chose Nebraska, what they love about our community, and what they do when they aren't busy learning, researching, and teaching.
Christopher Etheredge, MA - German
I’m from Omaha, Nebraska and will be in the second year of my MA in Modern Languages and Literatures in August 2020. I studied at UNL for my undergraduate because of its proximity to my home city, but I chose to continue my education here because of the active and inviting community I found in this department. This year, I will continue working on a thesis about the portrayal of consumption in its various forms in modern German language films. My fascination with the topic began after seeing my now-favorite movie, A Coffee in Berlin/Oh Boy, for the first time. When I am not working on classwork or research, I like to inline skate, go for walks, and I enjoy baking bread and bagels.
Michael Wireko-Agyemang, MA - French
Joining the Department of Modern Languages & Literatures as a French MA student, Michael is a first year French MA student. While at Nebraska, he is studying comparative literature, linguistic approaches to teaching foreign languages, and the rationale behind teaching foreign languages. In his spare time away from teaching and his classes, Michael likes to practice bass, listen to good music, watch soccer, and do some reading.
Alex Claussen, PhD - French
Alex is in the first year of his doctoral studies in French literature. It was an easy choice to come to Nebraska: the instructors in the department are not only outstanding scholars, but also extremely supportive of students at all levels of the program. (He also has a master's degree in German from this institution, which made the transition a matter of walking down the hall.) Alex's interests in translation studies and comparative literature are shared by his teachers and his cohort, so UNL's department is the ideal place for him to spend the next four years reading and thinking about extraordinary books. When he is not reading and thinking about books, he enjoys reading and thinnking about other books. But in those rare situations where he puts down his reading- if that ever really happens - Alex can be found listening to classical music, going on walks, drinking far too much coffee, and generally acting as though he lives in the nineteenth century.
Ana Tudela Martinez, MA - Spanish
Ana is a Spanish MA student, with a minor in Women's and Gender Studies. She hails from Madrid, Spain, and this is her first semester at UNL. She is interested in literature, especially the fields of dystopias and formal games. She chose UNL because it gave her an opportunity to teach while gaining an education. In her free time, she likes to head over to the Glenn Korff music building, where she spends time practicing piano and listening to the music students rehearse. Overall, she is enjoying her time at UNL, meeting new people and learning their "beautifully tricky" names.
Lara Armenteros Garrido, PhD - Spanish
Lara is a first year PhD student from Asturias, Spain. Her thesis centers around the #MeToo movement from a CDA point of view. She chose UNL because of the opportunities it offers, as well as the ease of navigation that Lincoln provides. In her spare time, she loves going to the cinema, de-cluttering, and cooking or baking. She also enjoys book clubs, board games, and getting together for tea and good conversation.